The Penn Stater Daily — Oct. 4, 2013

The place to be: The Penn State Centre Stage production of No Place To Be Somebody opens tonight at the Pavilion Theatre at University Park. For longtime Penn State theatre professor Charles Dumas, it’s something of a swan song.

Dumas (left) as “Sweets,” faces off with “Johnny,” played by Herb Newsome ’02g. Photo by Tina Hay

Dumas is retiring in December, and No Place to be Somebody marks his final Penn State show as a director. He also plays a vital supporting role in the production, which is set in seedy, racially conflicted late ’60s New York City. The play won the 1970 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, making Charles Gordone the first African-American playwright to receive the honor. Based on the preview I attended, it’s tense, heavy stuff, especially challenging for audience members too young to appreciate the tone of race relations in late ’60s America. But it’s tight and well-acted, and I imagine Dumas is quite happy with the idea of challenging his audience.

No Place to be Somebody runs tonight through Oct. 10.

Big-screen hero: Speaking of premieres: Murph: The Protector, a feature-length documentary on the life of Michael Murphy ’98, debuts tonight at the State Theatre in downtown State College. Members of the Penn State ROTC will provide a joint color guard before the film, and director Scott MacTavish will be on hand for a post-screening Q-and-A session. Murphy, the Navy SEAL who died in combat in Afghanistan in 2005, was a posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor in 2007.

Late-night skate: Assuming they can stay up for it, Penn State hockey fans can get their first intimate look inside Pegula Arena tonight at the “Midnight Ice Breaker,” a free open practice. Doors open at 11 p.m., the players and coaches will be introduced at 11:30, and then the men’s team will take to the ice at midnight for an hour-long practice session. Truly dedicated fans can then join the team on the ice at 1 a.m. for an open skate. Meanwhile, the women’s team opens its second varsity season tonight at Vermont.

Our designing woman:Carrie Robbins ’64, who graced the cover of our March/April issue, was at Penn State York on Wednesday to talk about her career as a leading Broadway costume designer. The York Daily Record has coverage, including some very cool photos.

Of beaters, broomsticks, and bugs: If you’re in town Saturday looking for something different, there are a couple of great options on the northeast corner of campus. The 20th edition of the Great Insect Fair runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Bryce Jordan Center, while the Penn State Quidditch teams hosts the Nittany Invitational on the IM fields just across from Beaver Stadium. Games start at noon.